Complications
by MiNdY
Summary: Prequel to 'Fallen Tears'. Need I say more? ;)
1. Breaker of hearts

The attraction was unexplainable. But did it need explaining? 

Hermione Granger stared on. He was laughing and joking among a crowd of females, putting his arm over a girl's shoulder. To put it simply, he was a flirt. How many girls' hearts has he broken since he arrived at Hogwarts? 

__

Countless, I guess, she thought to herself. 

And yet, she couldn't understand why she felt so attracted to the blond-haired Slytherin boy. She knew Harry would definitely not approve of her feelings towards Draco Malfoy, but still, she felt the strong magnetic pull attracting her to him. It wasn't something susceptible to explanation. 

She shook her head clear of the thoughts. It wasn't the time to be thinking about this. Her end-of-years were coming in 2 months and she still hadn't studied. 

And yet, no matter how hard she tried to push the thoughts of Draco aside, he would come creeping back into her thoughts. She hadn't told Harry or Ron about it yet, because she knew they would go totally ballistic over it. She smiled when she imagined what Ron might say.

__

"Have you gone nutters? This is MALFOY we're talking about. How could you ever like someone like…like him?"

And Harry would most probably say this.

__

"Hermione, you should know better than to get yourself involved with somebody like Malfoy."

She knew that they wouldn't agree or approve. Even _she_ found it difficult to accept that she actually, well, liked someone like Draco Malfoy. He was a playboy to boot. Every week he was seen with a different girl under his arm, but still, many girls flock to him. Even the nicest Gryffindor girls found themselves falling under the spell of his blue eyes and experienced kiss. Well, she didn't know if it was experienced or not, but many of her friends who had dated him briefly told her that. She couldn't deny that she wanted to find out whether it was true for herself, but she knew better than to be one of the groupies following Draco around.

Of course, many girls see him for what he is on the outside. Rich, cute, good-looking. Seductive. What Hermione actually saw in Draco, she couldn't explain. She simply assumed that she saw him for what he was on the outside too. 

She sighed and turned away. She was going to be late for Arithmancy if she stood around any longer. And besides, she had to make a trip to the library after the lesson to study for her end-of-years. 

__

This is not the time to be attracted to nasty Slytherin boys no matter how good-looking they are, she thought to herself determinedly. 

She walked quickly down the hallway towards the Arithmancy classroom. 

**

Draco turned and looked at the departing figure for a little while, and then turned back to his female friends. Hermione Granger had been staring at him, for what, he didn't know. But he knew the girl was different from the rest of her peers. First of all, she wasn't one of the girls who often clung to him. He knew that she was a more…sensible girl. 

"Draco darling…why are you looking so distracted?" the girl he was holding asked him.

"Nothing…my dear…girl." Now what was her name again? He quickly tried to recall, but to no avail. He often dated girls whose names he barely knew. And now he had to figure out a way to tactfully ask the girl her name again. Hmm. "My dear girl, repeat your full name for me. I love it when I see your name coming out of your lips."

"It's Padma Patil. Pad-ma Pa-til." She beamed at him, and winked. 

"Oh Padma, you have such a lovely name. I mean it."

She grinned widely. "Shut up and kiss me, Draco."

And so he did. He pressed his experienced lips against her soft ones and kissed her deeply. Padma almost lost her balance.

"Really, Draco, you shouldn't keep doing that," said Hannah Abbot. "You're making all of us jealous."

He pulled his lips away, putting his hand around Padma's waist. "All right. Then maybe Padma and I have to go to a _private_ place to finish our business. Want to go, Padma?" He looked at the young Ravenclaw female. Her eyes widened.

"Where are we going to, Draco?"

"You'll see when we get there. You'll _definitely _like it there," Draco said, smiling mischievously.

"And Draco Malfoy claims another prey," said Lavender Brown, winking. 

"See you all around," said Draco, grinning.

And he took Padma away from the rest of the crowd. 

He never really understood why girls threw themselves at him. What was it about him that girls liked? He wasn't_ that _nice, and he had already broken so many girls' hearts. But the girls still came to him. It was pretty weird, come to think of it. 

__

Surely I ain't that_ seductive_, he thought to himself. (A/N: Well, that's what _he_ thinks. Isn't it, girls? ^^)

"Say, Padma, what is it you girls see in me?" he finally asked.

"You're hot, cute, and sexy. Need I say more, Draco?" she grinned impishly.

"No," he said, smiling.


	2. The library encounter

"Hermione, aren't you tired?" said Ron, looking at her.

"No…there's still so much more, Ron. I can't relax."

"Herm, the exams are still two months away, you can study later…" said Harry.

"I'm sorry guys…if both of you are tired…you can go first," said Hermione, smiling.

"Well. Sorry about this, Hermione…but we really are tired. Can we go back first?" said Harry.

"Sure. I'll be here a little while longer. See you around." She grinned.

The boys left. She was alone in the library. Nobody else seemed to be around apart from her. Hermione looked through the books again. She seemed to have misplaced one of her books…

"Looking for this, Granger?" said a familiar voice.

She looked up. It was Malfoy, his hands holding a book, the words "Arithmancy" gleaming brightly on the cover. Her heart started to beat faster involuntarily.

"How did you get hold of my book, Malfoy?" she said, hoping her voice didn't sound that nervous.

He shrugged. "Saw it when you left your seat to go to the shelves, Granger. Thought that it sounded interesting."

Malfoy finding Arithmancy interesting? What was he playing at?

"Surely you don't expect me to believe _that? By the way, where's your girlfriend?" she said._

"Oh, one week was up. Now I'm not with anyone," he said, smiling. "Are you interested?"

Her heart skipped a beat. 

"Interested in _you? Of course not." She hoped Malfoy wouldn't know that she was lying._

"Then why were you staring at me today, Granger?" he said, a mischievous grin twitching on the ends of his lips.

_What? He actually saw me staring?_

"I…I wasn't staring at you. I was trying to see what the commotion was about," she finally said.

"Well, the commotion was about me, Granger. So you _were staring at me."_

"Malfoy, I don't want to be your next prey, you know," she said.

"Really? Every girl wants to," he said, smirking.

"Well, I don't," she replied. _Who am I trying to fool? Myself?_

Hermione stood up. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the shelves to get another book." She moved towards the huge bookshelves and walked to the M section.

She hurriedly turned in, and leaned on one shelf breathlessly. She looked at the books in front of her, her mind confused. _What am I thinking? I must be mad._

"You shouldn't stress yourself so much, Granger." Malfoy had followed her.

"Go away, Malfoy," she said.

"And why should I? I don't have to listen to you." He continued walking in, slowly closing the distance between the both of them.

"What do you think you're trying to do?" she said with a grimace.

He was now standing in front of her. "Nothing. Nothing at all," he whispered, moving his face close to Hermione's, his lips parting slightly. 

"Hermione! Are you done yet?" 

Draco jerked away quickly. _Weasley__.__ Always spoiling my plans, he thought__. "See you later, Granger. Your knight is here to save you." He smirked, and walked away. _

Hermione was breathless. She didn't know what to think.  Did Malfoy just try to kiss her?

She heard the conversation going on in the library.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" It was Ron.

"Nothing, Weasley. Just studying," said Draco.

"Studying? You? What were _you studying for, Malfoy?" said Ron. Hermione walked out from the space between the shelves and looked._

"Me? I was studying females. They're such interesting specimens." She saw Draco grin. "And besides, I find it interesting that there are always knights in shiny armour showing up to rescue beautiful girls."

Ron's angry expression changed into one of confusion. "What?"

"Nothing, Weasel, you probably won't understand. I'm leaving, so good riddance." Draco turned and left.  

"Good riddance, Malfoy," said Ron.

Hermione walked back to the table. 

"Herm! Where were you?" Ron said, looking at her.

"Just getting a book, Ron. What was Malfoy doing in here?" she said, trying to look ignorant.

"He said he was studying." Ron shrugged. "Who knows? Hey, are you done yet? It's getting late, you know."

"Yes I know. Well, I think it's time I left too."

"Okay. I'll carry your books for you," said Ron, taking the books from the table.

She smiled at him. Ron was nice. Why couldn't she like him in the way she liked Draco Malfoy? They walked back slowly to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Say, did Malfoy try anything funny on you?" asked Ron.

"W...what? Why do you ask?" she said, taken aback by the question.

"Well, you know what Malfoy's like," responded Ron matter-of-factly.

"Oh…he…he didn't. He was walking around the shelves. I saw him.," she lied.

"Okay. If he ever tries anything funny on you, you can tell me. I'll get him for you," said Ron, smiling. He staggered slightly under the weight of the books.

"Here, let me help you," said Hermione, taking one of the thicker books.

"Thanks. Just carry one. I can cope with the rest."

She smiled, and then she looked at the book. The word 'Arithmancy' gleamed brightly on the leather bound cover. 

** 


	3. Talk to me

The encounter at the library was two days ago, and Hermione had already put it behind her. The boys had Divination, and it was free time for her, so she went out onto the school grounds for a walk. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and she smiled, breathing in the fresh air. She stretched, her slim body arcing slightly as she felt the cool wind blow past her.

She walked around the green grass for a while, and then sat down, looking in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. Thinking about recent events, and about what she felt for Draco Malfoy. She never really understood what she saw in him. What she saw was a boy hiding in a shell, a boy who didn't show his true self to others. 

"What are you thinking about, Granger?"

She looked up, and saw Malfoy. _Great.What__ a coincidence, she thought, wanting to roll her eyes._

"It's none of your business, Malfoy," she replied.

"Well," said Draco, sitting down beside her. "All right then."

She got up to leave, but Draco grabbed hold of her hand. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you," she responded curtly. 

"Surely I'm not _that detestable to you, Granger? Come on, sit down and talk to me. I won't eat you up," he said, grinning._

Hermione looked at him, and saw that his eyes were almost pleading her to stay. "Okay," she finally said.

She sat down again and Draco let go of her hand. There was a momentary silence.

"Granger, what's your greatest fear?" he said suddenly.

"Why do I have to tell you? You might use it against me," she said.

"Can you stop looking at me as if I'm an evil scumbag?"

"Okay, okay, fine," she said. "But I'll only tell you if you agree to tell me yours."

Draco hesitated. "All right," he said finally.

"I'm afraid of…of falling," she admitted.

"Falling? From heights?"

"Yes. That's why I never dare to go to a high place. It's something like being afraid of heights. Enough about me. What about you?" she said, turning to him. 

"Me? I'm not afraid of anything. I'm perfect," he said.

"Hey! That's not counted. How can you not be afraid of anything? You're not a god," she responded.

"I'm almost a god, Granger. How can it not be possible?" he said with a smirk.

"I should have known I was an idiot to believe you would tell me your greatest fear, Malfoy. Why am I sitting here and talking to you?" she said. She started to get up again.

"Being a Malfoy."

"What?" She stared at him incredulously. 

He swallowed and repeated. "Being a Malfoy. My greatest fear is being a Malfoy."

"You mean you're afraid of yourself?" She sat down, once again.

"No. I'm afraid of what my family expects from me. What my family wants. I don't think it's what I want, anyway. They want me to do so many things that I'm not sure I even dare to," he said, turning away.

Hermione saw him shut his eyes painfully. For a moment, she thought he was going to cry. Then he suddenly turned to her and gave her a smile.

"Can you hug me, Hermione?"

Hermione was too shocked by the request to even notice that he had called her by her first name. "What?"

"Please?"

Draco Malfoy saying 'Please'? Hermione looked up at the sky to see if it was falling. She looked at Malfoy again. "Okay. Just once."

She saw Draco smile gratefully at her. She went up to him, and raised herself up on her knees. Then she put her arms around Draco Malfoy and held him in a warm and close embrace. She felt Draco put his head on her shoulder. 

_I'm actually hugging Malfoy. He's actually in my arms. Am I dreaming? _

She closed her eyes. _I could hold him forever._

Draco couldn't believe that he had just revealed one of his deepest and darkest fears to his archenemy's best friend. What was so special about this girl, which made him want to tell her everything? Why did he feel that once he told her, everything would be solved? 

He had requested for her to hold him, so that he would feel comforted. He was afraid of so many things his family wanted from him. Among all the girls he had dated, none of them felt as sincere as the one holding him in her arms now. None of them felt as warm, and as nice. And suddenly, he realized. _She sees me for who I am. For the Draco Malfoy inside. _

He felt her long brown hair brushing against his face and his back. It _was nice to have someone like Hermione Granger around you. __Potter, you don't know how lucky you are, he thought silently. Slowly, he pulled away from her. _

"Thank you. And that's the last time you'll hear those two words from me," he said, grinning.

Hermione stared at him mutely. _Why do you seem so weak at times, and so strong the next?_

"What's the matter, Granger?"

"I don't know what to think of you, Malfoy. How can you seem like two different people in the span of a few minutes? Why do you put up a façade for everyone to see? Why are you acting?" she said, looking at him. 

Draco looked at her, shocked. She wasn't fooled by the façade he put up. All the flirting and breaking girls' hearts? That wasn't him at all. It was just an exterior, a show put up to fool everyone around him. And he had managed to make everyone believe that. Everyone except Hermione.

"What do you know, Granger? You don't understand anything at all."

"I could feel your pain, Draco. I could feel the pain inside you. Why do you bottle it up?" 

Draco didn't say a word. He bit his lower lip and looked away stubbornly. _If I looked at her again, I would probably start crying and start to tell her everything._

There was silence for a while. Finally, Hermione broke the silence.

"Set yourself free, Draco. Set yourself free." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Then she got up quickly and ran back into the castle.

He looked at her, until she disappeared inside. 

**


End file.
